Ariana Grande backs Kesha in Sony contract battle

Ariana Grande is the latest celebrity to throw her support behind fellow pop star Kesha as she battles to be released from her Sony contract.

The TiK ToK singer has been embroiled in a legal battle with music producer Dr. Luke, and recently lost her bid to be released from her Sony Music recording contract with him.

A New York judge ruled the singer could not terminate the contract she signed a decade ago, despite the fact she's suing the hitmaker, claiming he sexually and emotionally abused her.

A number of high profile celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Adele, have all spoken out in support of the 29-year-old, and now Ariana has shared her thoughts on her friend's ordeal.

"I love Kesha," she told Carson Daly during a 97.1 Amp Radio interview. "I worked with her when I was a lot younger. We've been friends, I support her, regardless of what's going on. I didn't know about a lot of this. At the time I was really young. We didn't discuss any of this."

However, the 22-year-old doesn't think the situation would have escalated as much if the artist had been male, as she believes there is still a great deal of sexism in the music industry.

"The incredible double standards that we (women) face on a daily basis, in the industry and just in the world, it's shocking," she continued. "I would be so amused - and pardon me if this comes across as sexist - but I don't think a male artist would be in this position right now. Sorry... And my fellow women are definitely something that I will always be one of the first to speak up about."